Michael Olise sparkled brightest in a star-studded France attack on Monday, hitting a hat-trick in a 3-1 World Cup warm-up win over outgunned Northern Ireland in Lille.
Bayern Munich’s Olise and Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappe were joined in a fearsome front four by Desire Doue and Ousmane Dembele. The Paris Saint-Germain pair had been rested for the previous friendly — a loss to Ivory Coast — after winning the Champions League.
Another Champions League finalist, William Saliba of losers Arsenal, also returned to give France a look similar to how they could line up for their World Cup opener against Senegal in New Jersey on June 16.
The French though were frequently disjointed in attack, with skipper Mbappe, who needs one goal to equal Olivier Giroud’s team scoring record, often lacklustre.
Yet they still pressed the packed Northern Irish defence, forcing desperate blocks and loose clearances. Olise, who was sharp all night, was in the right place to drill home rebounds just before and just after half time.
Patrick Kelly of Engish third-tier club Barnsley poked home a rare Northern Ireland chance after 64 minutes, but Olise finished off the visitors with a flourish ten minutes later, curling in a left-foot shot from outside the area.
Although the Lille stadium roof was kept closed on a chilly and damp evening in northern France, play was stopped for drinks breaks in the middle of each half to help Les Bleus prepare in every detail for the World Cup.
France, who leave for their training base near Boston on Wednesday, will also face Iraq in Philadelphia and Norway in Foxborough outside Boston in Group I.
AFP
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